Fresh from Broadway in the highly anticipated revival of The Wiz, Avery Wilson was the icing on the cake for the 6th Annual WerQfest on Saturday at Atomic by Jamo.
He lived up to the hype of the vocal abilities that made him an internet sensation, a top contender on the hit NBC vocal competition show “The Voice” and a go-to vocalist for R&B tributes.
But the art and soul of creatives within the Black queer community was the cake – which was the point when Tre’von Griffith and Shelton Boyd-Griffith created the festival in 2019.The high energy festival captures the music and creative expression of St. Louis artists.
This year’s WerQfest took place at the Atomic Pavilion with a two stage set up, one indoor with a large open dance floor that led to the main stage outside under a grand pavilion. Bridged between the stages were photo opportunities, a bar with specialty drinks and ample seating. Patrons dressed in casual and custom couture who danced and fellowshipped into the night
The afternoon kicked off with a sneak peak of “Keenelan” courtesy of the Queer Voices NYC Film Festival. The film was written and directed by St. Louis’s own Camara “Cami” Cruz-Thomas and was centered around chance encounters, queer love, and art that perfectly reflected the spirit of WerQfest.
The live music started with a singer named S.A.Y. – an acronym for “Someone Appreciates You”. Her androgynous appearance was juxtaposed by her poetic sound that was similar to Erykah Badu. Her fan favorites include raps with a Jill Scott cadence and lyrics inspired by Lauryn Hill over smooth jazz.
On the outside main stage was rising EDM star Soumir – who brought her eccentric dance moves dressed in purple chrome cargo pants and 70’s chainmail halter top to match, which created a monotone look. She performed songs like “Beat Is Mine” as she hit poses throughout her set. She closed the show with “RAM,” and its captivating poetic outro.
Hometown R&B diva Golliday took the stage in a hooded lace jumpsuit and dark shades to match just before sunset. He opened with a cover of Frank Ocean’s “Forest Gump” under soft purple lights. He refused to move forward until the volume on his background singers’ microphones were properly adjusted.
He transitioned to original music with “Head” and “Dallas.” His clear vocals, relatable lyrics, and dance moves that matched the percussion created a performance that left the audience hungry for more.
Between each performer were popular St. Louis DJs who took the stage and allowed each set to breathe. They maintained the vibes with hip hop, dance, and vogue inspired sets. Masc_Error brought a hip-hop house mix that featured artists like Normani and Megan Thee Stallion. Anansi Spins merged vogue and Jersey club sounds. DJ Naybahood played radio hits and mixed 90s R&B over bounce music. DJ PBNJEFFY – the final DJ between performances – introduced their set with Beyonce tribute before he transitioned into his own original house music. The sounds layered hip hop, R&B, and even gospel. By the end of the session, everyone was on their feet and primed for Avery Wilson to take the stage.
The lights overhead transformed the stage into a green oasis. Wilson emerged in a graphic muscle top that read “MIXED EMOTION” that matched his red jeans. His vocal range and signature runs were on full display from the very beginning of his set. He performed “Kiss The Sky” and “ATM.” They carried the tone of Musiq Soulchild and sensuality of Trey Songz.
He shared with the audience that WerQfest was his first time performing at a queer music festival. He paused to relish in the experience.
“I am as free as I’ve ever been,” Wilson said. “And because of that, I’ve been able to become Grammy nominated.”
Wilson’s set continued with R&B classics such as Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You” and Tevin Campbell’s “Can We Talk.” The latter of the songs made him a social media sensation in 2023-2024 when the “Can We Talk” challenge dominated Facebook and Instagram.
TreHitz closed the festival with Strawberry Bounce, an emerging dance party curated by KVthe Writer with Nyara TreHitz. Their original bounce mixes created a high energy hip hop dance party that lasted into the night.
Living It content is produced with funding by the ARPA for the Arts grants program in partnership with the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis and the Community Development Administration.
